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Title: Democratic Lawmaker Pushing Immunity Is Newly Flush With Telco Cash
Source:
Wired
URL Source: http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2007/10/dem-pushing-spy.html
Published: Oct 21, 2007
Author: Ryan Singel
Post Date: 2007-10-21 12:11:51 by Zipporah
Keywords: None
Views: 247
He has also recently benefited from some interesting political contributions. Top Verizon executives, including CEO Ivan Seidenberg and President Dennis Strigl, wrote personal checks to Rockefeller totaling $23,500 in March, 2007. Prior to that apparently coordinated flurry of 29 donations, only one of those executives had ever donated to Rockefeller (at least while working for Verizon). In fact, prior to 2007, contributions to Rockefeller from company executives at AT&T and Verizon were mostly non-existent. But that changed around the same time that the companies began lobbying Congress to grant them retroactive immunity from lawsuits seeking billions for their alleged participation in secret, warrantless surveillance programs that targeted Americans. The Spring '07 checks represent 86 percent of money donated to Rockefeller by Verizon employees since at least 2001. AT&T executives discovered a fondness for Rockefeller just a month after Verizon execs did and over a three-month span, collectively made donations totaling $19,350. AT&T Vice President Fred McCallum began the giving spree in May with a $500 donation. 22 other AT&T high fliers soon followed with their own checks. Prior to that burst of generosity, the only AT&T employee donation to Rockefeller was a $300 contribution in 2001. That supporter did not identify herself as a company executive. When asked about the contributions, an AT&T spokesman told THREAT LEVEL: "AT&T employees regularly and voluntarily participate in the political process with their own funds." Both companies are being sued for allegedly turning over billions of calling records to the government, while AT&T is also accused of letting the National Security Agency wiretap phone calls and its internet backbone. A federal judge in California allowed the suits regarding the eavesdropping to continue despite the government's attempt to have the suits thrown out on the grounds they will endanger national security. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals reviewed that decision in August. The judges seemed reluctant to toss the cases, but have yet to issue a ruling. On Thursday evening, the Rockefeller-led Senate Intelligence Committee is marking up a bill to re-amend the nation's spy laws. While the text of the bill has not yet been released, the bill reportedly includes a way for the telecoms to escape the litigation against them. Rockefeller's commitment to getting the telecoms out of court surprises some who remember that Rockefeller was originally disturbed enough about the secret spying programs that he hand-wrote a letter to Dick Cheney in 2003, expressing his concerns about the program's legality. In a fairly stunning related news, Democratic Senator Chris Dodd went all in with his political capital Thursday, announcing he would unilaterally put a hold on the bill, which would stop the bill from being voted on. Representatives for Verizon and Rockefeller did not respond to requests for comment. The contributions and the following tables were found thanks to OpenSecrets.org. UPDATE: Reader Theo writes in to say why the money, though tiny in comparison to Rockefeller's fortune, is not negligible. Rockefeller is believed to have a personal fortune over $100 million. He spent $12 million of personal funds on his first Senate campaign. (http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-3521561.html) However "in recent campaigns, he has downplayed his personal wealth in one of the nation's poorest states. 'I will not spend one single dime of any money that I have,' he said in 2002. 'So that I if I don't raise money, I won't spend money. I am on exactly the same playing field, so to speak, with anybody else who runs for office.'" AP He's up for election in 2008. The cost of Senate races has increased several times over the last two decades. With a serious Republican challenger in WV, which Bush won twice, such as Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, he could be forced to raise tens of millions of dollars. That, or break his promise not to use his personal fortune, which wouldn't play very well in one of the country's poorest states. So yes, even a Rockefeller has to raise money. And in West Virginia, $50,000 is a lot of money. It's about 2% of all the money he raised last year. (But I'll bet he's slightly more worried about being red-baited for suppurtin' terrists.) Contributor Occupation Date Amount PETERSEN, WILLIAM B VERIZON PENNSYLVANIA/PRESIDENT 3/29/2007 $500 KEAM, MARK L VERIZON COMMUNICATIONS/PRESIDENT 3/28/2007 $650 SPLTZ, JUDITH A VERIZON BUSINESS/SENIOR VICE PRESID 3/28/2007 $500 HICKEY, J M VERIZON/VICE PRESIDENT 3/24/2007 $1,000 SEIDENBERG, IVAN VERIZON/CHAIRMAN & CHIEF EXECUTIVE 3/24/2007 $2,300 STRIGL, DENNIS F VERIZON/PRESIDENT & CHIEF OPERATING 3/24/2007 $1,000 LACK, JOHN J VERIZON/SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT 3/22/2007 $1,000 YOUNG, STEPHEN P VERIZON/VICE PRESIDENT 3/22/2007 $500 BRIGGS, HEATHER K VERIZON/OPERATIONS & TECHNOLOGY 3/21/2007 $1,000 ROBERTS, WILLIAM R VERIZON/PRESIDENT, MARYLAND 3/21/2007 $500 ROSENZWEIG, DAVID A VERIZON/VICE PRESIDENT 3/21/2007 $1,000 BROWN, KATHRYN C VERIZON/SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT 3/19/2007 $1,000 CAVENDISH, HUGH S VERIZON/PRESIDENT, WEST VIRGINIA 3/19/2007 $1,000 LEWIS, ANTHONY A VERIZON/PRESIDENT, WASHINGTON D.C. 3/19/2007 $1,000 MAGUIRE, THOMAS VERIZON/DIRECTOR, FEDERAL PUBLIC AF 3/19/2007 $1,000 PEACE, DAVID L VERIZON/ATTORNEY 3/19/2007 $250 SMALL, DAVID J VERIZON COMMUNICATIONS/SENIOR VICE 3/19/2007 $1,000 TAUKE, THOMAS J VERIZON/EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT 3/19/2007 $1,000 GLOVER, MICHAEL E VERIZON/ATTORNEY 3/17/2007 $500 MAYER, CHRISTOPHER J VERIZON/VICE PRESIDENT 3/17/2007 $300 MITCH, RANDAL S VERIZON BUSINESS/ATTORNEY 3/17/2007 $1,000 BRAFMAN, BRUCE J VERIZON/SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT 3/16/2007 $500 TOOHEY, ROBERT A VERIZON BUSINESS/SENIOR VICE PRESID 3/16/2007 $500 CREAGER, CHRISTOPHER VERIZON/SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT 3/15/2007 $1,000 WHITE, JACK H JR VERIZON/ATTORNEY 3/15/2007 $500 LEWIS, JAMES L VERIZON/VICE PRESIDENT 3/13/2007 $1,000 RABE, ERIC W VERIZON/EXECUTIVE 3/12/2007 $1,000 SAXENA, RAHUL VERIZON/VICE PRESIDENT 3/8/2007 $1,000 CAVENDISH, HUGH S VERIZON-WV 3/31/2005 $1,000 RUDDICK, JOHN R VERIZON 9/27/2002 $250 GIVEN, GALE Y VERIZON 3/29/2002 $1,000 GIVEN, GALE J VERIZON 12/20/2001 $1,000 TURMAN, THOMAS S VERIZON 8/2/2001 $500 Contributor Occupation Date Amount SPEARS, RONALD E AT&T CORPORATION/PRESIDENT 6/28/2007 $1,000 COUGHLIN, CATHERINE M AT&T CORPORATION/CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF 6/1/2007 $500 DIETZ, RICHARD C AT&T CORPORATION/EXECUTIVE 6/1/2007 $500 DREXEL, WILLIAM R AT&T CORPORATION/SENIOR VICE PRESID 6/1/2007 $500 JACOBY, PETER AT&T CORPORATION/VICE PRESIDENT 6/1/2007 $1,000 KAHAN, JAMES S AT&T CORPORATION/DIVISIONAL SENIOR 6/1/2007 $500 MONTFORD, JOHN T AT&T CORPORATION/SENIOR VICE PRESID 6/1/2007 $1,000 RICE, CHRISTOPHER T AT&T CORPORATION/CHIEF TECHNICAL OF 6/1/2007 $250 SHELLEY, JAMES B AT&T CORPORATION/SENIOR VICE PRESID 6/1/2007 $500 STANKEY, JOHN T AT&T CORPORATION/GROUP PRESIDENT 6/1/2007 $500 VIOLA, MICHAEL J AT&T CORPORATION/SENIOR VICE PRESID 6/1/2007 $500 WELDAY, RICHARD AT&T CORPORATION/CHIEF MARKETING OF 6/1/2007 $500 JUNELL, WILLIAM H AT&T CORPORATION/GROUP PRESIDENT 5/31/2007 $2,300 JUNELL, WILLIAM H AT&T CORPORATION/GROUP PRESIDENT 5/31/2007 $2,300 CALLAWAY, JAMES W AT&T, INC./SENIOR EXECUTIVE VICE PR 5/22/2007 $1,000 ELLIS, JAMES D AT&T, INC/SENIOR EXECUTIVE VICE PRE 5/22/2007 $500 MILLER, FORREST E AT&T COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION/GRO 5/22/2007 $1,000 SIGMAN, STAN AT&T MOBILITY, LLC/PRESIDENT & CEO 5/22/2007 $1,000 TACKER, CAROL L AT&T MOBILITY, LLC/VICE PRESIDENT 5/22/2007 $500 WATTS, WAYNE AT&T, INC./SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT & 5/22/2007 $2,000 WILKINS, RAY AT&T, INC./GROUP PRESIDENT 5/22/2007 $500 HARROLSON, JAMES G AT&T CORPORATION/ATTORNEY 4/9/2007 $500 MCCALLUM, FRED J JR AT&T CORPORATION/VICE PRESIDENT 4/9/2007 $500 BAILEY, KARYN L AT&T 9/20/2001 $300 See Also:
Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-West Virginia) is reportedly steering the secretive Senate Intelligence Committee to give retroactive immunity to telecoms that helped the government secretly spy on Americans. 
Verizon Employee Contributions to Senator Jay Rockefeller, in reverse chronological order.
GLADWYNE,PA 19035
VIENNA,VA 22181
MOUNT KISCO,NY 10549
ARLINGTON,VA 22206
WEST NYACK,NY 10994
PRINCETON,NJ 08540
COLLEYVILLE,TX 76034
ATLANTA,GA 30309
GREAT FALLS,VA 22066
CHEVY CHASE,MD 20815
HUNTINGTON STATION,NY 11746
OAKTON,VA 22124
CHARLESTON,WV 25314
WASHINGTON,DC 20005
NORTHPORT,NY 11768
PORT MURRAY,NJ 07865
GLADSTONE,NJ 07934
ALEXANDRIA,VA 22304
FALLS CHURCH,VA 22046
MORRISTOWN,NJ 07960
BETHESDA,MD 20814
ENGLEWOOD,NJ 07631
SHORT HILLS,NJ 07078
DAYTON,MD 21036
FAIRFAX STATION,VA 22039
ORINDA,CA 94563
HAVERFORD,PA 19041
MENDHAM,NJ 07945
CHARLESTON,WV 25314
HURRICANE,WV 25526
HURRICANE,WV 25526
HURRICANE,WV 25526
BARBOURSVILLE,WV 25504 AT&T Employee Contributions to Senator Jay Rockefeller, in reverse chronological order
NEW CANAAN,CT 06840
CHICAGO,IL 60611
SAN ANTONIO,TX 78257
CONCORD,CA 94521
MCLEAN,VA 22101
SAN ANTONIO,TX 78205
SAN ANTONIO,TX 78257
SAN ANTONIO,TX 78258
SAN ANTONIO,TX 78249
SAN ANTONIO,TX 78212
SAN ANTONIO,TX 78209
SAN ANTONIO,TX 78230
HOUSTON,TX 77056
HOUSTON,TX 77056
SAN ANTONIO,TX 78209
SAN ANTONIO,TX 78209
SAN ANTONIO,TX 78209
ATLANTA,GA 30342
SAN ANTONIO,TX 78204
FAIR OAKS RANCH,TX 78015
SAN ANTONIO,TX 78209
ATLANTA,GA 30309
MARIETTA,GA 30062
CASTLE ROCK,CO 80104
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